Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of The Analgesics, sa.1, ss.1-8, 2013 (Hakemli Dergi)
The aim of the present study was to evaluate putative antinociceptive effects of simvastatin and contribution of
nitric oxide to experimental neuropathic pain model in rats. 48 Male, Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250g) were divided into
seven groups. Simvastatin (10/20 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered intraperitoneally for ten days to rats which were injured
by main root ligation of sciatic nerve in chronic construction injury model. The antinociceptive activity of simvastatin was
evaluated by using mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia on the days of 0, 3, 7, 10. The same
tests were performed to assess the role of nitric oxide, by using simvastatin 20mg/kg with 10mg/kg L-NAME or LArginine.
Tramadol, used routinely in neuropathic pain treatment, was evaluated as a positive control. In all tests,
hindpaw withdrawal thresholds and latencies were obtained for ligated, control and sham operated groups 30 minutes
after drug or vehicle injections. Simvastatin 10/20mg/kg and tramadol 10 mg/kg groups significantly increased paw
withdrawal latency on third day in mechanical allodynia test. Simvastatin 20mg/kg and tramadol groups significantly
increased antinociceptive effect on tenth day. L-NAME+simvastatin 20mg/kg combination showed significant effect on
the tenth day. L-Arginine+simvastatin 20mg/kg significantly decreased paw withdrawal threshold as compared to
simvastatin 10/20mg/kg on the third day. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of thermal
hyperalgesia. Simvastatin 20mg/kg significantly increased paw withdrawal latency on the tenth day as compared to
control group in cold allodynia test. Simvastatin 20mg/kg significantly decreased the neuropathic pain in the present
study. As a conclusion it seems that nitric oxide pathway may contribute to antinociceptive effect of simvastatin.